A Dark And Tiny Place
by Diane Klepper
Summary: Tom tells B'Elanna how he accidently got trapped in a closet when he was five years old.


A Dark And Tiny Place  
  
  
By Diane Klepper  
  
  
(Author's Note: This story is set during the fifth season. It takes places 3 weeks after   
"One." The characters belong to Paramount. I'm just borrowing them.)  
  
  
B'Elanna Torres wiped the tiredness out of her eyes with her dirty right hand and   
yawned as she pressed the code into the door of Tom's quarters. They were in each other   
quarters so much during the last couple of months neither of them bothered to press the   
door chime anymore. B'Elanna knew it was late and that Tom would probably be asleep   
but she always felt more comfort in the same bed as the man she loved. She knew Tom   
loved her too but he had trouble saying the words.  
  
She entered his quarters and found the hallway light on ten percent. She smiled   
knowing Tom left the light in for her in case she decided to spend the night. She entered   
the bedroom and found Tom fast asleep. It amused her on how young and vulnerable   
Tom looked when he slept. She softly kissed her on the forehead and walked into the   
bathroom. She washed her f ace and put on the blue nightgown she left in Tom's   
bathroom and walked into the bedroom.  
  
She was about to climb into bed when she heard Tom mumbling, "Please let me   
out. I'll be good. Please…Daddy where are you? Daddy…it's really dark in here and I'm   
scared. Please Daddy let me out. I'll be good. I promise."  
  
B'Elanna shook Tom's shoulder. Tom started to shake, "Daddy it's cold in   
here…Please let me out."   
  
B'Elanna shook him harder and said, "Tom wake up…It's me B'Elanna."  
  
Tom eyes shot open and he quickly sat up. He looked confused. "B'Elanna…what   
happened?"  
  
B'Elanna frowned at him, "Tom you had another bad dream. That's the third one   
you had this week…I think you need to talk to someone about them."  
  
Tom climbed out of bed and went to the replicator. "Water…cold."  
The water appeared and Tom took a couple of gulps and then turned to B'Elanna   
and gave a faint smile. "B'Elanna it was just a bad dream. I'm fine."   
B'Elanna walked up to Tom and took the glass out of his hand and put it on a   
nearby table. "Tom you are not fine. You have been having bad dreams since we got out   
of stasis. Tom you were calling to your father in your sleep. You asked him to let you   
out. …Tom did you father lock you in the closet when you were little?"  
  
Tom frowned, "B'Elanna my was Dad was strict but he wasn't cruel…he never   
locked me in a closet."  
  
"But you were asking him to let you out in your sleep."  
  
"He put me there to keep me safe…he didn't know?"  
  
B'Elanna frowned, "He didn't know what?"  
  
"That I would be trapped in that supply cabinet for three days until someone   
found me."  
  
"How did you get trapped in a supply cabinet?"  
  
"B'Elanna it's a long story?"  
  
B'Elanna took his right hand and lead him to the couch. They both sat down.   
"Neither of us has an early shift tomorrow and I'm not that sleepily. I think we will both   
sleep better if you tell me what happened."  
  
"On one condition…you don't tell Harry…I'll never here the end of this if Harry   
knew?"  
  
B'Elanna smiled at him, "Deal."  
  
  
Tommy Paris ran into his parents' bedroom carrying his favorite toy shuttle. He   
saw his mother closing the suitcase that was on the bed. He turned to his mother and said,   
"Mommy when will you be back?"  
  
Maggie Paris took the suitcase off the bed and put it down on the floor. "We'll be   
back in three days." Tom's two older sisters, Kathleen and Moira were going to Mars for   
a class field trip and Maggie Paris was one of the chaperones. She knew that five- year   
old Tommy would be bored silly studying ruins for three days so Maggie arranged for   
Tommy to spend the weekend at his friend Charlie's house. She knew that Owen had to   
spend the entire weekend grading papers so she figured Tommy would be happier   
spending the weekend with his best friend.  
  
"Mommy I'll miss you."  
  
Maggie looked down at her youngest child and smiled. She brushed the hair off of   
his forehead and kissed him on the cheek. "Sweetie it with only be for three days. Besides   
you will have so much fun with Charlie you'll be too busy to miss me."  
  
Tommy looked up at her with confusion in his eyes, "Won't Daddy be lonely?"  
  
Maggie smiled at him, "Daddy will be busy grading papers all weekend. He'll be   
fine."She took Tommy's hand and they walked to his room. She pressed the button to   
open the closet. She took out the suitcase that was on the top shelf and put it on the bed.   
"Now lets she what you will need.'  
  
Tommy put his favorite shuttle on the bed ran to his toy box. He grabbed as many   
shuttles as he could carry at one time and walked to the bed, "Here Mommy."  
  
Maggie laughed, "Tommy you need room in your suitcase for clothes too. You   
may take two spaceship and that's it."  
  
"But Mommy.."  
  
Maggie looked at the wall chronometer and frowned, "Thomas…two ship that's   
it. We have to get going. We have to be at the school in 20 minutes and your father has to   
drop you off at the Days."  
  
Dejectedly Tommy said, "Yes ma'am." He dropped all his shuttles on the bed   
next to his favorite. He then put his second favorite shuttle next to his favorite on the bed   
and he put the rest in his toy box.   
Maggie smiled at her son and then took a couple of pairs of pants and a few tee   
shirts out of his closet and put it in the suitcase. She then walked over to his dresser and   
took out some underwear and put it in the suitcase. She was about to close it when   
Tommy shouted, "Wait."  
  
Maggie turned and saw that Tommy was standing next to the bed holding one of   
his story padds. "Mommy…you forgot this."  
Tommy handed the padd to his mother and she glanced at it and smiled, "20, 000   
Leagues Under The Sea…Tommy you have this book practically memorized. Don't you   
want to bring one of the new books I got you last week."   
  
"But Mommy…that's my favorite book."   
  
Maggie smiled at her son and put the padd in the suitcase and closed it. She   
picked up the suitcase off the bed and said, "Come on Tommy we have to get going."  
  
Tommy followed his mother down the stairs clutching his two spaceships to his   
chest.  
  
Owen Paris was sitting on the couch reading a padd. Maggie put down Tommy's   
suitcase by the front door. She saw Owen sitting on the couch and said, "Honey will you   
bring down my suitcase. "  
  
Owen smiled, "Sure Dear."   
  
Just then two teenage girls ran down the stairs carrying their suitcases. Kathleen   
the eldest daughter who just turned fourteen said, "Mom come on we are going to be   
late."  
Twelve- year old Moira smirked, "You just want to make sure you sit nest to Billy   
Hanson. You have such a crush on him.'  
  
Kathleen said, "I do not. He's just a friend."  
  
Owen who by now came down the stairs carrying Maggie's suitcase said, "Come   
on girls…we don't have time to argue. We have to get going."  
  
Owen carried Maggie's suitcase out the door. Maggie followed carrying   
Tommy's. The family's shuttle was parked by the door. Owen opened the back of the   
shuttle and put in all the suitcases.  
  
Fifteen minutes later the family shuttle stop in front of the high school. Owen got   
out of the shuttle and carried Maggie's and his daughters suitcases to the shuttle, which   
was being loaded for the trip. Maggie turned to Tommy who was belted in the back of the   
shuttle and kissed him on the cheek, "Tommy I want you to be a good boy for Mr. and   
Mrs. Day."  
  
"Yes Mommy."  
  
"If you have any problems you can call your Daddy at work…you know his   
comm. signal.'  
  
"Yes Mommy."  
  
Maggie got out of the shuttle. Owen gave her a soft kiss on the lips and then he   
hugged Kathleen and Moira goodbye. "I'll see you all in three days."  
  
Owen climbed back into the shuttle and saw Tommy squirming in his seat. When   
ever Maggie was in the shuttle she always insisted that Tommy by strapped in the back   
Both Owen and Maggie knew how much Tommy wanted to be a pilot but Maggie   
insisted that Tommy was too young to fly anything except a simulator and that having   
Tommy sit up front with his father only led to the young boy pleading for his father to let   
him touch the shuttle's controls. Owen smiled at his young son and said, "Tommy would   
you like to be up front with Daddy…we'll just won't tell Mommy."  
  
Tommy gave him a huge smile and fumbled with his seatbelt until he opened it.   
He then ran to the front and jumped into the co-pilot seat.  
  
Owen strapped Tommy in and then took off. Tommy studied his father intensely   
and asked, "Daddy can I touch some of the controls"  
  
Owen smiled at his boy. "Not today Tom…I have to get you to the Days…I have   
a lot of papers to grade."  
  
Tommy frowned and then asked, "Maybe next time?"  
  
Owen smiled, "We'll see."  
  
  
Ten minutes later Owen landed the shuttle in front of the Day's home. He   
unstrapped Tommy. "Ready to spend the weekend with Charlie."  
  
"Yeah Daddy…Charlie has a new computer game and he said I could play it this   
weekend."  
  
Tommy ran out of the shuttle and pressed the doorbell in front of the house. Owen   
followed carrying Tommy's suitcase.  
  
The door opened halfway and Sarah Day came out. She smiled at Tommy and   
then turned to Owen. "Owen I tried to call you before but nobody was home."  
  
Owen looking concerned asked, "Sarah is something wrong?"   
  
"Yes…Charlie just came down with the Medakan pox Tommy can't stay here this   
weekend. I know Maggie and the girls just left…Is there anyone else who can watch   
Tommy?"  
  
Owen frowned. "It's too late to get a sitter…I guess I'll just have to take him to   
work with me…I. hope Charlie feels better soon."  
  
Sarah Day gave a slight smile, "Thank you, Owen. Maybe we can do the   
sleepover after Charlie gets better?""  
  
I'm sure we can arrange something. Bye Sarah."  
  
Sarah smiled at Owen and Tommy and said "Goodbye" and closed the door  
  
Tommy looked up at his father in confusion, "Daddy…who is going to take care   
of me now?"  
  
"I am son."  
  
"But Mommy said you were too busy grading papers and that you wouldn't have   
time to take care of me."  
  
Owen looked at his son and an idea came to his head. "Tommy how about we   
make a deal. If you can play quietly in my office until lunchtime after lunch we'll go to   
the simulators."  
  
A huge smile appeared on Tommy's face, "Really Daddy…I can fly?"   
  
Owen smiled at his son's excitement and brushed his blonde hair off of his   
forehead. "Yes Tom…but you will have to play very quietly.'  
  
"I will Daddy…I'll be very quiet…I promise."  
  
  
At twelve- thirty Owen Paris looked up from the padd he was reading and glanced   
at his son. Tommy sat in a corner quietly having a space battle with his two shuttles. If   
Owen didn't know better he would of sworn he was in his office by himself. Except for a   
bathroom break about an hour ago, Tommy sat quietly playing with his toy shuttles.   
Owen walked up to his son and ruffled his hair, "Tommy it's lunch time."  
  
Tommy looked up at his father and asked excitedly, "Daddy was I good?"  
  
Owen smiled at him. "Yes. Son you were very good. After lunch we will go to the   
simulators."  
  
Tommy stood up and gave Owen a huge smile and hugged him. "Yeah…Daddy   
you're the best Daddy in the world.  
  
  
Thirty minutes later Tommy was holding his father's hand as they walked to the   
building the simulators were held. They walked into a room where twenty simulators   
were held. The room was dark so Owen called for lights. It was near the end of the   
semester so most students spent most of their free time in their dorm room or at the   
library studying for finals.   
  
Tommy pointed to a simulator near the back of the room "Daddy…I want to use   
that one. It's the bumpy one."  
  
Owen looked at his son confused. "Bumpy one?"  
  
Tommy stared at his father with his bright blue eyes and smiled. "Yeah…that one   
has the most bumps when you fly it. It's fun."  
  
0wen smiled at his son and then picked him up and put him in the simulator. He   
then went to the control panel. "Tom…are you ready?"  
  
"Yeah Daddy."  
  
  
Twenty minutes later Owen looked at his chronometer and called to his son,   
"Come on Tom…it's time to leave "  
  
Tommy frowned, "Do we have to?"   
  
All of a sudden a female computer voice called out. "Intruder alert…Intruder   
alert. Unauthorized persons are headed for the hangar bay." Then the alarm started to ring   
loudly.  
  
Tommy still sitting in the simulator turned to his father. "Daddy…What's   
wrong?"  
  
Owen looked worried. "Tom there are people here who aren't suppose to be   
here." Owen walked over to the simulator and took Tom out of it. He walked over to a   
group of closets where they stored tools and put in the code to one to open it up.  
  
Tommy looked at his father with confusion in his eyes. "Daddy what are you   
doing?"  
Owen put Tom on the floor. "Tom I am going to ask you to be very brave. Can   
you do that for Daddy?"  
  
Tommy silently nodded his head.  
  
"I want you to stay in the tool closet until I come back for you."  
  
"Why Daddy?"  
  
Owen looked at his son and gave him a slight smile. "Tom, remember I told you   
there are times when a Starfleet officer has to obey orders and not ask any questions."  
  
"Yes Daddy."  
  
Owen smiled at him, "Tom this is one of those times. I want you to stay in the   
closet and not make a sound. I'll be back as soon as I can. Understand cadet?"  
  
Tom gave a slight frown and then he stood at attention and said "Yes, Sir."  
  
Owen ruffled Tom's hair and gave him a kiss on the forehead. He then lifted Tom   
into the tool closet and locked it behind him.  
  
  
As Tommy heard the closet lock he locked around. It was very dark. He wished   
he had a nightlight like he did at home but Tommy promised his father he would be brave   
and he was going to try his best not to get scared.  
  
As the minutes ticked away Tommy started wondering where his father was. He   
was tired of standing so he decided to sit down. His eyes could barely see anything so he   
felt around with his hands until he thought he found a toolbox. He sat down on the tool-   
box. He started feeling a little cold so he wrapped his arms around himself. He listened   
for his father's footsteps outside the closet but he heard nothing. He started feeling a little   
scared and called out, "Daddy can I come out now?"  
  
After a few minutes Tommy said to himself, "Maybe Daddy got busy and forgot   
about me. I'll just leave here and wait in his office for him." He tried to open the closet   
door but it wouldn't budge. He started to get a little more scared and called out,   
"Daddy…the door is stuck. Please let me out. It's really dark in here and I'm cold.   
Daddy I want to go home.'  
  
Tommy started knocking on the door as hard as he could. "Daddy let me out. I'll   
be good…I promise…Daddy please I'm scared. It's dark and cold in here.  
  
Tommy knocked so hard his hands started to hurt and he began to cry. Between   
sobs he called out, "Daddy…Daddy…where are you?"  
  
  
Tommy opened his eyes and realized it wasn't dark anymore. He felt a soft bed   
underneath him but he was in a strange white room. All of a sudden a door opened and a   
strange man dressed in a blue Starfleet uniform came in followed by his mother. Tommy   
saw his mother and his face lit up. "Mommy."  
  
Maggie Paris ran to the bed and Tommy jumped into her arms. She hugged him   
tightly and said, "Tommy everything is alright now. Your safe sweetie."  
  
Tommy started sobbing, "Mommy I was stuck in the closet and Daddy forgot   
about me."   
  
Maggie pushed his blond hair from his eyes, "No Tommy…Daddy didn't forget   
you. Daddy got hurt."  
  
Confusion filled Tommy's blue eyes, "Is Daddy okay?"  
  
Just then a gruff voice filtered through the hospital doorway, "I don't care what   
you say…I need to see my son." The door opened and Owen Paris walked in. His was   
dressed in blue hospital gown and complexion was paler than normal. Owen walked into   
the room very slowly but when he saw Tommy in his mother's arms he gave a slight   
smile. "Tommy….are you okay son."  
  
Tommy looked at his father with concern. "Daddy…are you okay?"  
  
Owen smiled at him. "I'm fine Tom…It's takes more than a phaser wound to   
keep a Paris down"   
Maggie put Tommy down on the floor and he ran to his father and gave him a big   
hug. "Daddy…I was so scared. I couldn't get out of the closet and it was so cold and   
dark."  
  
Owen hugged his son back. "Tom…I'm so sorry. I never thought you would be in   
that closet three days before someone found you."   
  
Confusion spread across Tommy's face. He remembered waking up a few times   
in the closet and calling out to his father but his Daddy never came. He would then cry a   
little more and bang on the door until he fell back asleep. But he couldn't be in that awful   
place for three days. Tom looked at his father and whispered, "Daddy…why did you   
leave me there for so long?"  
  
Owen picked up Tommy and sat on the bed with him. "Tommy after I put you in   
the closet I was shot by a Romulan who was trying to steal a shuttle. I was asleep and I   
couldn't tell anyone where I left you."  
  
Maggie sat down next to them and gently wiped the tears that were slowly falling   
from her son's eyes., "When I received the phone call about your Daddy's injury I flew   
right back. But I thought you were with the Days. When I called to check up on you they   
told me you weren't there. We looked all over for you until your Daddy woke up and told   
us where you were. We couldn't check the sensors because they were damaged in the   
phaser fight." She smiled at her son. "Tommy I'm so happy you are safe."   
  
  
  
B'Elanna smiled at the man she loved. "It must have been very traumatic for a   
five year old to be locked in a closet for three days."  
  
Tom took a deep breath. "It was. For weeks after I refused to go to bed unless my   
Mom or Dad stayed with me until I fell asleep."  
  
B'Elanna frowned, "It's hard to imagine Admiral Paris sitting up with a scared   
child. I remember when I was at the Academy there were so many stories about how if   
you could survive Admiral Paris's classes that the Romulans and Cardissians weren't as   
scary."   
  
Tom smiled, "Half of those stories my Dad made up to intimidate new cadets. I   
think he felt partially responsible for me being locked in the closet." Tom gave a little   
frown and wrapped his arms around himself. "For months after I would get terrible   
nightmares of being back in the closet. It got so bad it started affecting my schoolwork   
and I had to see my school counselor."  
  
B'Elanna smiled and squeezed Tom's right hand. "Tom there is nothing wrong   
with talking to someone about your problems. I know Captain Janeway has often wished   
we had a counselor onboard Voyager."  
  
"I know that. But I was taught to believe that a man had to handle his own   
problems."   
  
B'Elanna growled at him, "Tom you were a child then.."   
  
Tom gave a slight smile. " I know…When I was little my Dad and I were very   
close. I wanted to be just like him. He use to read to me from Jules Verne and he took me   
flying on the simulators…It's just as I got older and my flying abilities got better he   
became stricter…He kept telling me that I had to do better to get into Starfleet. I tried so   
hard to please him…but whatever I did it wasn't good enough."  
  
B'Elanna gave a slight smile. "When I was little my Mother wanted me to act   
more like a Klingon. When I was young I resented that…but now I'm starting to   
appreciate my Klingon side more."  
  
Tom smiled at her teasingly. "I know I appreciate your Klingon side a lot."  
  
B'Elanna smiled at him. "Tom…I think your father was trying to reach out to you   
when he sent you a letter on the array. Maybe he has changed as much as you have."   
  
Tom frowned, "I know. I just wish I was able to read his letter."  
  
B'Elanna looked at the man she loved and gently squeezed his hand. "Maybe one   
day you will be able to tell him about your life on Voyager. I sure he would be proud."  
  
Tom smiled at her. "I must be doing something right here. I have the most   
beautiful, talented and exciting woman who happens to be a brilliant engineer in my life."  
  
Teasingly B'Elanna said, "Do I know her?"  
  
"Yes you do. In fact you two are very close." Tom gave her a gentle kiss on the   
lips. B'Elanna returned the kiss eagerly until she was interrupted by a yawn.  
  
Tom stood up and pulled B'Elanna up with him. "Come on let's get to bed. I   
don't want Chakotay lecturing us both tomorrow on falling asleep on the job."  
  
As they walked towards the bedroom Tom said, "B'Elanna thank you for getting   
me to talk about it. I think I feel better now."  
  
B'Elanna smiled at him and said, "Anytime Helmboy. Now let's go to bed."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." 


End file.
